


Baby Sitting

by unadulteratedstorycollector



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Babysitting, Divorced Draco Malfoy & Astoria Greengrass, Divorced Harry Potter & Ginny Weasley, Getting Together, M/M, POV Blaise Zabini
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-03
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2019-04-18 01:54:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14202480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unadulteratedstorycollector/pseuds/unadulteratedstorycollector
Summary: Blaise is called on to babysit. He's always called upon to babysit. Not that he minds...





	Baby Sitting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [frnklymrshnkly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/frnklymrshnkly/gifts).



> Frnkly! This is for you, to encourage our love of Blaise.
> 
> Thanks for the speedy beta Kiss <3

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Blaise Zabini is good with children. He doesn’t have any of his own - disgustingly dirty and horrifically disorganised things, children - but of all his friends who have had them, there is yet to be one who doesn’t love him. And he supposes he quite likes them in return. Children, he often says, are the only truly honest people in the world, and therefore command his deepest respect. Plus, he can win them round just by giving them a sweet and picking them up.

\-----

Blaise gets the firecall late on Friday afternoon. Because why would anyone want to make a plan in advance when they could surprise their friends at the last minute with inane requests?

“Please, Blaise,” Draco begs, quite pleasingly, on his hands and knees. “I didn’t know I was going to be called to this meeting, and Astoria is on a date tonight…” he looks worried, biting his lip again like when they were children. Some people never lose bad habits. Blaise sighs, rubbing his temple and taking a sip of his scotch.

“I babysat last month,” he points out, tactfully ignoring Draco’s eye roll. See, he can be tactful when he wants to.

“Blaise… Please. Scorpius specifically asked for you,” Draco says and Blaise ignores the way his heart does something annoying and unfortunate. Scorpius is sweet. A little too… pampered for Blaise’s liking, but he has a certain spark to him that Blaise is sure he got from his mother. And the last time he babysat they’d had an enthralling conversation about the benefits of Amortentia in the dating habits of his parents. Hm. Maybe he could babysit tonight. His date cancelled at the last minute, another failure of proper planning, and the only other option is sitting at home drinking scotch and reading.

“No.” He shakes his head. No point in making it easy for Draco. He watches as Draco’s shoulders sag for a second, before something devious crosses his face.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” Draco announces before disappearing. Blaise finishes his scotch and places the glass on the side, walking to his bookshelf to find his copy of Advanced Potions for The Modern Age. Scorpius will be interested in it.

“Hey, Blaise!” Scorpius’s voice rings out and Blaise returns to the fireplace. “Dad says you don’t want to look after me tonight.” Scorpius fixes him with a very Malfoy stare and Blaise smirks.

“What are your other options?” 

“Ugh… Grandma! Or Aunt Pansy…” Scorpius pulls a face, crossing his eyes and sticking out his tongue and Blaise can’t contain the laugh that escapes from his stomach. He places the book on the side table and runs a longs finger over his jaw.

“I suppose I am preferable to those two…” he raises an eyebrow and Scorpius grins.

“You’re preferable to my own dad sometimes,” he replies and Blaise beams as he hears Draco protesting in the background. Yes. Children do have some merit to them, despite the dirtiness and disorder. Scorpius disappears, undoubtedly knowing he’s won this battle, and Draco reappears in the fire.

“Low blow, Malfoy,” Blaise sneers with no real malice and Draco chuckles, running his hand through his hair, in what Blaise knows is a nervous gesture. Really, this meeting must be very important if Draco is nervous. “Send him through. You can collect him tomorrow morning.” 

“See, you do have a heart in there somewhere,” Draco says, his eyes shining annoyingly and Blaise rolls his eyes.

“Hurry up, before I change my mind.” He won’t. They both know he won’t. Draco disappears again, and Blaise sits, contemplating how much his evening has just improved.

\-----

The second firecall arrives twenty minutes after Scorpius has been delivered. They are in the middle of talking about ways to improve wolfsbane when the chimes interrupt them. Blaise grits his teeth, but smiles as he answers the call and a familiar face appears.

“Blaise, you couldn’t do me a solid could you?” Harry asks, clearly flustered. His glasses are wonky and his hair is more unruly than usual, as if he’s been running his hands through it. Blaise feels somewhat sorry for him. He really doesn’t deserve to be so stressed all the time. The downfalls of being Head Auror.

“As handsome as you are, Potter, I feel that consummating would ruin a perfectly good friendship,” Blaise teases, if only to see Harry laugh. He’s rewarded with a grin and a wave of relaxation running over Harry’s face.

“Funny,” Harry replies. “But I actually need you to watch the kids. There’s this meeting… I didn’t think I would need to be there, it was only supposed to be between the Minister and Shelby, you know, the Head of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes. But they’ve called me in, and I think probably Draco… he’s head of the Department of Mysteries of course… and they asked Hermione! I don’t even know why they want her there… but clearly there’s some sort of Magical Creature aspect and--”

“Potter, please shut up,” Blaise says, rubbing at his temple. The problem with Harry Potter, like many adults, is that he can’t just ask for something. Every request must come with justification. Blaise knows, in some far recess of his mind, that it’s because Harry feels guilty for having to ask, but Blaise would honestly rather not have a headache. Harry stops, his brows still creased in worry and Blaise sighs. “As much as I would love to look after the Potterlings, I have Scorpius with me tonight.”

Harry shoulders slump and he fiddles with his glasses. Blaise grinds his teeth. There must be someone who has ceased with their childhood habits of nervousness. And then Harry’s face lights up, and Blaise knows he is not going to like whatever idea Harry has.

“Bring Scorpius here… we have plenty of spare space, now that Gin has finally moved her Quidditch stuff into Luna’s! You can have the guest room. And unfettered access to my wine.” Harry is talking fast, and Blaise is loath to admit it does seem like a good solution. And he does like the Potter children. Albus is easy to talk to, and doesn’t take anything to heart, James is excitable and confident and very astute, and little Lily is hilariously droll. It would be a good evening with the four of them. Harry waits, somewhat patiently, his eyes occasionally flitting to where his children are obviously sitting behind him.

“Fine. We will be over in a minute,” Blaise concedes, his heart feeling a little bit happy as he hears the Potterlings cheer in the background.

\-----

“So… how often do you babysit for Harry?” Draco asks, in what Blaise supposes is meant to be a nonchalant way, when he comes to collect Scorpius the next day. Blaise doesn’t bother to suppress his sigh as he collects together Scorpius’s things. They’d only just arrived back at Blaise’s, and he hadn’t had a chance to put his house into some sort of order before Draco got there. Oh well, it’s his child. He must be somewhat aware of how much mess a seven year old can make. 

“Does it bother you that I took Scorpius for a sleepover there?” he asks, knowing that it doesn’t bother Draco in the slightest. He could try and be a little bit more subtle about his affections for Harry. It’s almost like he isn’t a Malfoy anymore. Having a child has really ruined him.

“No! No, really, it doesn’t,” Draco jumps in holding his hands up. He bites at his lip and Blaise glares at it until he stops. Sooner or later, Draco will ask the question he actually wants to ask and then they can all get on with their lives. Scorpius comes and stands between them and Blaise starts to undo the braid that Lily had put into his hair the night before. Draco will probably give Scorpius a bath when they get home, and Blaise needs to do something useful whilst he waits for Draco to say words.

“Well, if that’s all the questions you have,” he drawls finally, and Scorpius gives him a look. Draco jumps, clearly deciding that he needs to know what Blaise knows more than he needs to stand there chewing his lip ridiculously.

“Does he… does he go out often?” Draco asks, and Blaise raises an eyebrow. “I mean, is it a regular thing for Potter to be going out? Or is it just when there are work emergencies?” Draco’s skin has gone that unattractive shade of pink that Blaise is thankful his skin never turns. He looks like he did at school, asking after Harry, always asking after Harry. One day he’ll realise that his obsession is both ridiculous and a sign he’s in love. Blaise isn’t holding his breath.

“I babysit for Harry about as often as I babysit for you,” Blaise says. Which is true. To his knowledge, Harry’s love life is as abysmal as Draco’s. They’re a match made in heaven.

“Oh… good.” Draco nods once, and then seems to catch himself. “I mean, not good! Just. Interesting. No! Just oh. Oh.” Draco runs his hand through his hair and Blaise decides he’s bored of this conversation.

“Indeed.” He watches as his best friend has a small breakdown in front of him before turning to Scorpius. “Well, it was nice to see you. Next time we can look into that potion I talked about. Draco, try to do something about the Harry situation.”

“Yeah, yeah, you want me to be happy,” Draco mutters, waving a hand and Blaise snorted.

“No.” Well, yes, but he’s not telling Draco that. “I would rather we found more interesting things to discuss that Harry Potter.” He ignores the way Draco looks at him as if to say ‘there is nothing more interesting’ and waves them goodbye as they disappear into the flames.

\-----

“Scorpius is cute…” Harry stutters when he firecalls Blaise. Blaise groans internally. Adults are so tiresome.

“Much like his father, I would say,” Blaise cuts to the chase. Clearly they aren’t going to be adults about this, and Blaise really needs them to get over whatever it is stopping them from falling into bed together. Harry goes a disgustingly endearing shade of red and fiddles with his glasses.

“I guess… I mean, it’s Draco…” Harry trails off and Blaise smirks. Indeed. It is Draco. Draco who Harry has been obsessed with for almost as long as Draco has been obsessed with him. Blaise isn’t sure how Hermione deals with being subtle in these situations.

“Would you prefer it were someone else?” Blaise asks, knowing the answer. This conversation would be much better if he had a scotch in his hand. Or someone else involved. Like Ron. Ron is good at the sort of conversation. He’s about as impatient as Blaise.

“What? I… uh…” Harry splutters and Blaise stares at him, waiting. Harry gulps, taking a deep breath. “No, I guess I wouldn’t.”

“Shocking,” Blaise drawls, enjoying the way Harry smiles at him sheepishly. “Why don’t you do something about it?” Because he is ridiculously uncourageous when it comes to asking a person on a date. Blaise has actually witnessed him spill a drink over a man and light a woman on fire accidentally in an attempt to avoid conversation with someone he fancied. He is ridiculous.

“Oh… but… no…” Harry wriggles on the spot and Blaise fixes him with his best glare. “What if he doesn’t like me and then it’s awkward.”

“Oh, I wasn’t aware we were back at school. Do you want me to ask him out for you?” Blaise snips, a smile tugging on the corner of his mouth. Harry gives him the finger and he laughs loudly. The problem with Harry, and maybe it isn’t so much a problem, is that even when he’s being infuriating, he’s still amusing.

“I don’t think I can put myself out there again,” Harry mumbles, looking miserable. Blaise snorts, not caring if it’s inelegant. He doesn’t have to be elegant around Harry-I-Trip-On-My-Own-Feet-Potter.

“Because of all those times you’ve put yourself out there before,” Blaise points out and Harry scowls at him. He’s probably going to try defending himself, but Blaise has had to think about this a lot in the past, and Harry has never put himself out there. Maybe with Cho, once, when they were at school. But not since then. He is in his thirties!

“I put myself out there!” Harry demands, and Blaise sighs at the predictability of their conversation. If only Ron were here. Instead of Blaise.

“I will give you three hundred galleons if you can name one time, other than Cho in fourth year, that you have put yourself out there,” He says with confidence. He watches as Harry flounders for a moment, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. When nothing comes, Blaise smirks. “Thought not.”

“Screw you, Zabini,” Harry mutters.

“I’d rather not,” Blaise sighs, looking at his nails. “But I hear Draco is free.” He watches with amusement as Harry frowns at him.

“Fuck off, I’m leaving if you’re going to be a twat,” Harry grumbles, his voice not quite as angry and cutting as Blaise is sure he’s trying to be. “Thanks for looking after the kids. You’re a lifesaver.”

“I thought I was a twat?” Blaise grins as Harry gives him the finger again and shutting the floo off.

\-----

“Hey Blaise.” Scorpius grins as Blaise answers the call. “What are you doing on Friday?”

“The fact that your father now has you doing his dirty work is appalling.” Blaise settles back in his chair and smiles at the younger Malfoy. Scorpius shrugs, clearly unbothered. A proper Malfoy in only the good ways. None of those ridiculous pure-blood ideals, all of that wonderful wit. 

“So, Friday?” Scorpius asks again. Blaise raises an eyebrow. Something is afoot, and Blaise does not enjoy being played.

“What is happening on Friday?” He asks, because he can always trust a child to be honest. Scorpius’s grin turns into a smirk and he raises an eyebrow. Blaise doesn’t bother to hide is pride. He’d spent a good amount of time teaching Scorpius how to pull off the proper eyebrow raise.

“Would you believe if I said that Dad has a date?” Scorpius says, with perfect nonchalance, and Blaise can’t stop his eyebrows from shooting up. Draco has a date? Well, it turns out miracles do happen. 

“I supposed that he has to get his kicks one way or another,” Blaise drawls, recovering quickly. “Who is it? One of your mother’s infamously awful setups?” Scorpius laughs, a proper child laugh that does something not entirely unpleasant, but entirely unwanted to Blaise’s stomach. He didn’t grow up with that sort of laughter, and it always surprises him in the most horrendously pleasant way. When he finishes laughing he glances over his shoulder, clearly checking that the coast is clear before divulging the information to Blaise. 

“Nope! You’ll never guess, and you’d hate to try, so I’ll just tell you,” Scorpius leans forward conspiratorially, and Blaise sighs, getting off his chair and coming to sit in front of the fire, like some sort of uncultured… _Weasley_. Although that Rose… she’s going to be Minister one day, and Blaise will be the first to vote for her. Scorpius’s eyes shine, and Blaise smiles as the excitement bubbles in his chest. “Dad is going on a date with…” he pauses for effect, because he is a fantastic story teller. “Harry Potter.”

“Well…” Blaise says, speechless for potentially the first time in his life. Draco and Harry. Fucking finally. “I suppose I’m more surprised that your father finally got over himself enough to ask Harry on a date.”

“Oh, he didn’t,” Scorpius snorts. Blaise sighs and nods. Of course not, because Draco Malfoy doesn’t make any decisions anymore. Not that he ever did, not really. Perhaps Harry will force that habit out of him. Harry has a way of forcing people to do what they want.

“So, Harry asked your dad?” Blaise asks, because he is nosey, and because seven year olds are wonderful at giving only the interesting bits of information.

“Um… I guess so.” Scorpius shrugs. “To be honest, after I found them basically _naked_ in the kitchen I sort of stopped listening. And then dad said he was going on a date with Harry on Friday and that I’d have to go and stay at Grandma’s because Mum is away with Leonardo, and I thought Hell No!” Blaise laughs, watching as Scorpius wrinkles his nose. Well, nearly naked in the kitchen sounds like a fantastic start to their relationship. Years of pining, notwithstanding.

“I can see how that would have been traumatic for you,” Blaise says, grinning.

“I am scarred for life,” Scorpius says, his face deadpan. “The only way I will survive is if I can come and stay with you on Friday…” Scorpius tilts his head to the side, clearly thinking, and Blaise waits for him to get to the same conclusion he has. Because if Draco is going out with Harry, then there’s only one person Harry will call to babysit. Maybe Blaise should start charging. “Actually,” Scorpius says finally, “maybe we can have another sleepover at Harry’s… because, y’know he won’t be there either. You could bring over that game we all played with the weak Veritaserum…”

“If you promise not to mention that game to your father or your step father, then yes,” Blaise agrees. Because apparently if Scorpius asks, he does it.

“Harry isn’t my step dad…”

“Yet.” Blaise cuts in and Scorpius rolls his eyes, but Blaise can’t notice the smile on the corner of his lips and the flush on pink in his cheeks.

“So, I’ll see you on Friday?” Scorpius brings the conversation back to the important things and Blaise chuckles, stroking his chin and shaking his head slightly.

“Of course. See you Friday.” The floo closes and Blaise stares into the fire for a moment. He never wanted children, but then all his friends started having them and somehow he’s ended up with a hoard of them. Not that he’s bothered by it. Because really, it is a truth universally acknowledged that he, Blaise Zabini, is good with children.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are seen, read, and loved! Thanks for reading


End file.
